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Impact of materials exposure on assembly workstation performance
Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden.ORCID iD: 0000-0002-3168-9889
Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden.
Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden.
Ryerson University, Canada.
2011 (English)In: International Journal of Production Research, ISSN 0020-7543, E-ISSN 1366-588X, Vol. 49, no 24, p. 7253-7274Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

This paper examines how the choice of materials exposure impacts workstation performance, in terms of non-value-adding work, space requirements and ergonomics. In a typical Swedish automotive setting, components are exposed in wooden pallets with frames beside the assembly line and supplied by forklift truck. In a case study, three workstations on an assembly line were studied and redesigned following the principles of lean production, using smaller plastic containers for the materials exposure. After the redesign, the space required for materials was reduced by 67%, non-value-adding work decreased by 20%, and walking distance was reduced by 52%. Furthermore, the ergonomics for the assembly operator improved greatly, with a 92% reduction of potentially harmful picking activities, thereby almost eliminating potentially harmful body movements. The theoretical contribution of this paper is firstly the development of an analysis model describing the impact of material exposure on workstation performance and secondly development of the existing categorisation of work operations to include different materials handling activities. The most important managerial implication is an increased understanding of the relationship between space, ergonomics, non-value-adding work and materials exposure. These findings have direct implications on workstation design in industry.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
2011. Vol. 49, no 24, p. 7253-7274
Keywords [en]
Analysis models; Assembly line; Body movements; Fork lift trucks; Lean production; Managerial implications; Material exposures; Space requirements; Workstation design, Assembly; Assembly machines; Ergonomics; Packaging; Packaging materials; Plastic containers, Materials handling
National Category
Mechanical Engineering
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:ri:diva-71721DOI: 10.1080/00207543.2010.503202Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-84855772853OAI: oai:DiVA.org:ri-71721DiVA, id: diva2:1836201
Available from: 2024-02-08 Created: 2024-02-08 Last updated: 2024-02-08Bibliographically approved

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Finnsgård, Christian

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Citation style
  • apa
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  • de-DE
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